top secret
Need-to-know only
Top secret is the highest standard classification level for government information, indicating that unauthorized disclosure could cause exceptionally grave damage to national security.
The designation applies to documents, operations, and facilities requiring the strictest access controls: top secret clearance, top secret files.
Informally, top secret describes anything meant to be kept completely private: The recipe is top secret.
Restricted from disclosure
- confidentialMeant to stay secret
- security clearanceAuthorization for classified access
- restricted accessEntry limited to authorized individuals
- need-to-knowAccess limited by necessity
compartmentalized · eyes only · declassified · redacted · national security · classified information · sensitive · governmental
Kept out of sight
- confidentialMeant to stay secret
- undisclosedNot made known
- concealedMade invisible deliberately
- guardedWary and restrained
protected · sealed · hush-hush · under wraps · covert · clandestine · stealth · disguised
Covert information gatherer
- intelligenceMental ability, cognitive capacity
- agentOne who acts independently
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- cipherHidden writing system
decryption · intercept · reconnaissance · counterintelligence · tradecraft · dead drop · codebook · bugging
classified
Restricted from disclosure
- confidentialMeant to stay secret
- security clearanceAuthorization for classified access
- restricted accessEntry limited to authorized individuals
need-to-know · compartmentalized · eyes only · declassified · redacted · national security · classified information · sensitive · governmental
hidden
Kept out of sight
- confidentialMeant to stay secret
- undisclosedNot made known
- concealedMade invisible deliberately
guarded · protected · sealed · hush-hush · under wraps · covert · clandestine · stealth · disguised · encrypted
spy
Covert information gatherer
- intelligenceMental ability, cognitive capacity
- agentOne who acts independently
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
cipher · decryption · intercept · reconnaissance · counterintelligence · tradecraft · dead drop · codebook · bugging · wiretap
- espionagespy, spies, double agent, double agents, spying
- Spy Fictionspy, double agent, MI6, CIA, KGB
- accessaccess, authorization, credentials, exclusive access, insider access
- ranking systemsconfidential, unclassified, restricted, tier one, tier two
- redactedredacted, censored, blacked out, expunged, deleted
- censorshipbanned books, censored, banned, book banning, book bans
top secretunclassified
Not assigned a category
declassified · public · unrestricted · public domain · non-classified
top secretpublic knowledge
Facts anyone can access
common knowledge · public · transparent · general knowledge · open
top, secret, tops, secretly, topped, secrecy, secretive, secrets, topping